Old Heart costar Zaneta Adams, joins the film’s Florida premiere screening with the St. Augustine Film Society. After serving as Director of Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) moved on to be Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Her work in the Biden administration was liaison work with federal, state, tribal, and international governments. Her personal experience as a service-disabled veteran has shaped her advocacy for military families, women veterans, and disabled veterans. She frequently keynotes veterans events around the country. Adams. She was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor for her work for veterans in 2025.
About Old Heart:
2025 Winner Best 7 Festival Best Feature Awards in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Poland and India.
Adapted from Peter Ferry’s award winning novel, Old Heart tells the story of black soldier Tom Johnson fighting the world's greatest racist as part of the segregated American Army. He works with a Jewish translator, Sarah van Praag, to smuggle food and supplies from liberated southern Netherlands to starving residents of northern cities trapped behind Nazi lines. They also fall in love.
Sixty years later, in the summer of 2005, Tom foils his family’s plan to move him to assisted living by secretly flying to Amsterdam. With his children in hot pursuit, Tom is determined to find Sarah, the love of his life.
Old Heart's focus on how people cross cultural boundaries to find common ground makes the film especially timely. A tribute to elder independence, Old Heart also explores the hidden history of the black soldiers in World War 2's only integrated American Army unit, the Red Ball Express. After the war General Patton said his forces would not have made it to Berlin without this critical 6,000 truck supply team dominated by courageous black soldiers.
Old Heart has won over 30 festival awards for acting, editing, cinematography, screenwriting and costuming. A lesson plan available with the film is being used in schools in America and Europe.
"A Stunning Story, Compelling, Entertaining" - Chicago Tribune
“Fabulous. The cinematography led by David Darling is excellent. The editing by Gene Gamache is first class. Powerful performances from Jamelle Sargent as the young Tom and Eva Doueiri as the young Sarah.” - Tony Moore, Indy Film Library
"The actors did very solid work in this film. It’s touching to watch a bunch of people come together to do something big and to witness their solidarity and utter belief in doing something great. This film was able to utilize a high-end Hollywood studio for post-production. This showed in the quality of the sound and stunning visuals. That kind of resourcefulness, along with pure passion, allows (this) small-budget project to overcome its disadvantages. This feature-length film becomes part of Peter Ferry's legacy. It’s a fine piece of work to leave behind. " Chicago Literary Hall of Fame